Person
Kota Ibushi
Aira, Kagoshima, Japan
Kota Ibushi is a Japanese professional wrestler and former martial artist who signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2023. Widely praised by fans and critics for his explosive a…
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Kota Ibushi is a Japanese professional wrestler and former martial artist who signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2023. Widely praised by fans and critics for his explosive athleticism, striking ability, and willingness to take extreme physical risks, he built a reputation for delivering some of the highest-rated matches of his era, particularly through his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). His accolades include the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Best Flying Wrestler award in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013, Pro Wrestling Match of the Year in 2015 against Shinsuke Nakamura, and induction into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2022. Ibushi began his career in 2004 with DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he became one of the company’s top stars. During his time there, he won the KO-D Openweight Championship three times, the KO-D Tag Team Championship five times, and the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship twice. Two of those tag title reigns came alongside Kenny Omega as the Golden☆Lovers, whose combined 351 days as champions remain a DDT record. He first appeared for NJPW in 2009 before officially signing in 2013. Across his time with the promotion, he won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship three times, the NEVER Openweight Championship once, and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. Ibushi later won the Best of the Super Juniors in 2011 and the New Japan Cup in 2015. After leaving both NJPW and DDT in 2016 to work as a freelancer, he competed for multiple promotions and took part in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic. Returning to NJPW full-time in 2019, Ibushi won the G1 Climax in 2019 and 2020, becoming the first wrestler to win the tournament in consecutive years since Hiroyoshi Tenzan in 2003. Those victories made him the only wrestler to win all three of NJPW’s major singles tournaments. In 2021, he captured the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and unified it with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to become the inaugural IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, while ranking No. 5 in the PWI 500.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
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2026
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20
Movie Kota Ibushi (Appearance)
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2025
AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2025
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2025
AEW All In 2025: Texas
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2024
NOAH: The New Year 2024
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2023
AEW: WrestleDream 2023
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2023
AEW All In 2023: London
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2023
All Elite Wrestling: Collision
TV show Kota Ibushi
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2023
GCW Joey Janela's Spring Break 7
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2023
GCW Josh Barnett's Bloodsport 9
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 19 (Final)
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 17
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 15
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 13
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 11
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 9
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 7
Movie Kota Ibushi
More credits
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 5
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 3
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW G1 Climax 31: Day 1
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome: Night 1
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall 2021
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW Sakura Genesis 2021
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW New Japan Cup 2021 - Day 13 (Final)
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW New Japan Cup 2021 - Day 12
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW 49th Anniversary Show
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW Castle Attack 2021 - Day 2
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW The New Beginning in Hiroshima 2021 - Night 2
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW The New Beginning in Hiroshima 2021 - Night 1
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW The New Beginning in Nagoya
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2021
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15: Night 2
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2021
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15: Night 1
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2020
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 19 (Final)
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2020
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 17
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2020
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 15
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2020
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 13
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2020
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 11
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2020
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 9
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2020
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 7
Movie Kota Ibushi
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2020
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 5
Movie Kota Ibushi
